Kago
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Total Wordcount: 2,885
Vin - Furi, et. al
Kago - Kelp / The Baron
Night had fallen on Terminus. Most people were warm insides their homes, having completed their scurrying on the streets for the evening. Two exceptions were the figures that stood on the doorstep of the bar called Bad Decisions.
“Are you sure this is the establishment, Kelp?” the man on the left asked in a soft yet firm tone. Each word floated on the air with a smooth regality that stood out in this section of town.
The chubby boy nodded vigorously. Although he was nearly half the man’s age, he stood two inches taller and wore a heavy coat over his thick frame.
“Very well.”
The older man straightened his gray, pin-striped suit and gestured toward the door. Kelp yelped and darted his hand toward the door. The Baron was not a man that you kept waiting, especially after he gave a direct order.
As the door opened, the man moved his cane forward and stepped inside. He did not lean on the cane for assistance; it was merely an accessory to set himself apart from the commonfolk. In fact, his entire wardrobe was meticulously planned to distinguish him from those around him.
Gazing through the golden eyepiece he wore on his right eye, he politely removed the matching top hat from his head and scanned the room. A number of men of women of all races filled the room to the point of nearly spilling out of the doors. Many tapped their glasses together in merry toasts, celebrating the end of yet another day of work.
The Baron tore his eyes from the crowd and spotted the edge of a large counter to the side. He coughed and looked from Kelp to the bar. As the boy passed to clear him a path, the distinguished gentleman handed his top hat to him and sauntered through the gap in bodies.
This night had the male enlil tending the bar. While he didn’t recognize the well-dressed man, he did remember the kid, namely due to the facial expressions he displayed the last time he entered the establishment.
“What can I help you with? Or did you come here to get someone else’s brains blown out again, eh kid?” he asked.
Kelp shook visibly at the memory of Puol’s insides becoming his outsides.
The Baron chuckled. “Ah, I do hope that such unpleasantries can be avoided this evening. I merely wish to speak with your superior regarding a potential contract.”
“Uh huh...well no offense sir, but the envoy you sent last time tried to lowball my boss and ate a bullet for it. So before I go and get her, how much are we talking?” the bartender asked.
With a smile, The Baron withdrew a hearty sack of exa. Inside, five thousand exa clinked softly. He dropped the sack onto the counter without a shift in his expression.
“My previous envoy was a fool who attempted to cheat our organization. I am grateful to your mistress for addressing that problem. Unlike him, I come bearing ample resources for our meeting,” he said gesturing to the sack on the bar.
“You may count it if you wish.”
“Good to see the message was taken seriously. One moment please,” the enlil said, moving out from behind the counter. Leaving the pair, he moved through the tables, made easier by the patrons shifting their chairs to make a clear path. They knew what was about to happen. A rhythmic knock on the wall, and the solid mass slid over, the huntress stepping out.
“You’re certain about this one,” she asked.
“Yeah he brought a much bigger bag than the last guy,” he replied. Leading the way back to the Baron and the kid, Furi took a seat right next to the fancily dressed man, seemingly not impressed by his wealthy appearance. She gave a subtle wink to the kid. Meanwhile the enlil began to mix up a drink for the two adults.
“So just to be clear, no hard feelings about the scumbag you sent here first?” she said, pulling the strings of the bag and looking inside.
Kelp blushed and shied back.
“Of course not, my lady. As I informed your associate, you did me a great service by removing the man from my employment,” The Baron said, sizing the woman up.
Despite her unique appearance, Furi seemed like a capable mercenary. She had eliminated Puol without alerting him and prevented any injuries to innocent bystanders. A simple, clean kill. The Baron appreciated that.
“Now, then,” he said and straightened his vest. “Perhaps we can move this conversation to a more secluded area. The nature of this contract is delicate. I would be extremely displeased if the wrong individuals learned of the details.”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to deny that request. You see there are no wrong individuals here, just a bunch of everyday workers looking for a place to unwind. On the off-chance we did have someone listening to something they shouldn’t...,” she began, gesturing to the enlil. He reached under the counter, placing a jar in front of them. The huntress unscrewed the jar, reached inside, and pulled out what appeared to be an ear torn from a laicar. Inside the jar one could also see enlil and velen pieces, even a component from a demvir was inside.
“They would be dealt with,” Furi finished. She placed the appendage back inside, handing it back to the enlil.
“You have my word. Now can we get down to business?” she asked.
The Baron tried to mask his disgust at seeing the ear. Although he had conducted his fair share of killings, he did not take pleasure in torture or maiming. Swift kills were a gentlemanly courtesy that he offered to those who have wronged him.
“Indeed,” he said. Pushing the entire sack of exa toward the mercenary, he turned his body so that he faced her directly. “As I am sure you know, a certain individual by the name of Dio has been decimating members of my organization. Whether through incompetence of my associates or his own blind luck, he still lives today.
“Unfortunately, Dio is no longer a viable target for my organization. He has the protection of the Mistress of Serenity.”
The Baron reached for the drink placed before him and allowed his words to sink in. The beverage was strong with sweet undertones; the type of drink that intoxicates an individual before they realize how much they consumed.
“What I would like you to do is to kidnap a woman that Dio holds dearly,” he withdrew a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiped his mustache dry. “She works as a barmaid at a tavern called Steamed and Hammered. Her name is Aeliana.”
“You’re gonna need to elaborate here. I presumed this deal was going to be for Dio. Now you’re in need to kidnap an ordinary woman and you need me for this why? Seems like you get any slaver group to do that job,” she said.
“Secondly, what is this Mistress of Serenity, and how does that have your balls in a vice?”
“My apologies, my lady,” The Baron said, removing the smile from his face. “I assumed the rationale behind hiring someone like yourself was obvious.
“Dio spends ample time around Aeliana. As such, you may very well need to put him down in order to kidnap her. That is the true goal of the contract. Eliminate Dio - if possible - while kidnapping the girl. If it appears that she was the target all along, then Dio’s death will not appear as suspicious.
“And, should you fail to eliminate him, he will most certainly come looking for her. By then, you will have brought her to us. Dio entering our territory will negate any protection from the Mistress and we can finish him without retribution from her.”
“My apologies, sir,” Furi replied, mimicking his words. “I assumed you’d want the job to go as smoothly as possible and thus provide information when it is asked for.”
This may or may not anger the man, but the huntress did not operate like any other gun-for-hire. She’d seen jobs go bad very easily simply because the client refused to divulge certain details.
“Now about this Aeliana,” she continued, as if the two hadn’t subtly insulted the other. “Race, age, defining features. Same for Dio.”
The Baron bit his tongue. He could not fault her for wanting more information; however, in his line of work, knowledge was power. Whether she knew it or not, she was about to become a pawn in a much larger game. And pawns did not need to know the king’s full intentions.
“Aeliana is quite a lovely laicar girl,” The Baron explained as he returned the smile to his face. “Long golden hair and brown eyes. She stands roughly my height and is younger than you appear. And, despite her petite stature, I believe she has reached her maidenhood.”
He paused to allow the mercenary time to process and record any details from the description before continuing.
“Gold hair, brown eyes. This Aeliana sounds like a fairy tale princess,” Furi remarked, pausing to take a sip of her drink.
“As for Dio, he is quite the opposite. He’s a mountainous man who makes even a tall woman like you seem short. Dark hair and intense blue eyes that seem to burn into your soul. If the stories are to be believed, he’s more beast than man.”
After hearing Dio’s description, she raised an eyebrow.
On the stool next to him, Kelp shook. The Baron did feel bad for bringing the boy to their previous encounter with Dio, but it was a necessary evil. Due to Furi’s prompting, Kelp had attempted to leave their organization in spite of knowing that membership was for life.
Clicking his tongue, The Baron slid the rest of his drink to the boy.
“Stories to be believed? Are you saying you haven’t met the guy? Now I’m curious as to what you did to piss him off,” she said. Then the huntress reached over, plucking the drink from in front of the kid before a stupid decision could be made.
“He doesn’t need to start at his age. I can only assume that some threats were made, because I’m sure I told him to leave your little group,” the huntress stated, looking the baron right in the eyes.
He smirked and met her gaze. This would hardly be Kelp’s first drink.
“I am here only here to negotiate a contract. If how I choose to run my organization bothers you-” The Baron reached for the sack of exa on the counter.
As soon as his hands were on the bag, an audible ‘click’ went off. The familiar sound of the hammer being pulled back on a gun.
“You already passed negotiations by not choosing to lowball me like your former employee. So before you make the decision to get up and leave, do keep in mind I know what you look like, what the kid looks like, who you’re after, and who he’s associated with. Like I said, if you want any brainless gun-for-hire, you’re in the wrong damn place. Make a move and we’ll see how this pans out,” she said.
The Baron paused his movement toward the bag. Opening his hand to show his surrender, he slowly eased back and released a low chuckle.
“I like you,” he said. “So, let me be abundantly clear. I do not tolerate loose ends. As you so clearly stated, you know many things that I would rather not get out. If you fail to capture the girl or even have a change of heart about the contract, I will come for your head.”
Leaning back, The Baron continued. “Now, you may consider me foolish for threatening you, but I am anything but the contrary. Yes, you may blow my head off here and now like Puol; however, consider the facts. Would someone like myself come to a meeting with a trigger happy mercenary like you - in your own establishment, no less - with only a trouser-wetting boy like Kelp?”
He shook his head.
“So logically, one of the following must be true: I am vastly more capable than you assume; not all of the people in this bar are completely loyal to you; or, my own men completely surround this place.
“Which is it?”
“Patrons, a moment of your time,” Furi said, standing up and facing the public. Her revolver was still aimed at the Baron’s head.
“My client here is under the impression that he can buy you out. That I don’t know every single one of your faces. So in case it wasn’t clear, if you ever turn on me, I will erase you and the rest of your family line. If we’re clear on that, go back and enjoy your drinks,” she finished, sitting back down.
“And now back to you. The last time someone tried to kill me, it was a squad of men with explosive and assault weaponry. They didn’t get the job done, as you can clearly see. If you’re willing to take that chance, then I’ll see you in the next life. You might have to wait a good long while for that meetup though.”
“Well, so long as you complete the task, we shall not have to worry about that,” The Baron said leaning back. He slowly reached for the drink that the woman had taken from Kelp and downed the rest. He still had his trump card, but he secretly hoped that he would not to have to play it against the mercenary.
“Now, if you shall be so kind as to holster your firearm, I would prefer we conclude this transaction promptly.”
“Good, you’re learning,” she replied, sitting back down, the ‘click’ signaling that the safety was back on.
“So laicar princess, and big guy with fire in his eyes. Find the girl, and bring her to you, assuming the big boy doesn’t play the hero. Kill him if I can, if not the girl becomes a lure. If and when that happens, where do I take her?” the huntress asked.
The Baron slipped his hand inside his coat and retrieved a folded piece of paper from his breast pocket. The edges were crinkled and worn, but the ink inside was as bold as the day it was drawn. Placing it on the counter, he slid it towards the mercenary.
“This is a map detailing the location where I want the woman brought. Once you’ve arrived, knock three times then pause. When you hear a return knock, do it four more times and we’ll know it is you.”
Furi moved the map closer with a finger, taking in the details. Once she was done, she folded it up, placing it within a chest pocket.
“I’ll start looking into this girl. Did you have a specific time limit for completing this? I imagine you don’t want Dio reappearing in your operations anytime soon,” she inquired.
The question was twofold, to find out how much time she had to work with, as well as prying to see if the man had anything worth protecting.
“I believe it goes without saying that the sooner this job is completed the better,” The Baron said rising from his seat and straightening his attire. “If you deliver her within three days, I will instruct my men to pay you an extra two thousand exa.
“Good luck.”
Feeling that their contract was finalized, he turned to Kelp and gestured to the crowd between them and the doorway. The crowd parted and The Baron retrieved his top hat from Kelp’s free hand.
“Thanks for not shooting him, I only just wiped the counter down a few a minutes ago,” the enlil said once the two had departed.
“Well he had the benefit of having some sense, unlike the first guy,” Furi replied.
“So the usual business then?” he asked.
“Yep. Let the street rats know. Him and the kid. The group they are, what they’re into, and if they have anything significant happening in the next three days.”
“Boss, forgive the curiousity but...,” he said, hesitant to go further without permission.
“But?” she said.
“Why do you always look into the people you’re supposed to be working for? I’m no hunter, but I assume most clients would prefer someone that just does the job without asking questions.”
“Fair question. It pays to be the smartest person in the room. When people underestimate me, seeing me as just a hired gun and nothing else, they’re making the biggest mistake they could. On another level, you’d be surprised how often clients try to kill me off once I’m done with the job. Unfortunately for them, it also means no longer have to be loyal to their cause. That’s why you don’t often see a repeat client around here. That enough to sate your curiosity?” she finished.
“Yeah...I’ll get right on that info gathering then,” he said, placing a fresh drink for his boss before leaving.
He’d already figured this out back when she first ‘interviewed’ him, but now the enlil was reaffirmed in that initial first impression. Furi was not someone you tried to fuck with.
Vin - Furi, et. al
Kago - Kelp / The Baron
Night had fallen on Terminus. Most people were warm insides their homes, having completed their scurrying on the streets for the evening. Two exceptions were the figures that stood on the doorstep of the bar called Bad Decisions.
“Are you sure this is the establishment, Kelp?” the man on the left asked in a soft yet firm tone. Each word floated on the air with a smooth regality that stood out in this section of town.
The chubby boy nodded vigorously. Although he was nearly half the man’s age, he stood two inches taller and wore a heavy coat over his thick frame.
“Very well.”
The older man straightened his gray, pin-striped suit and gestured toward the door. Kelp yelped and darted his hand toward the door. The Baron was not a man that you kept waiting, especially after he gave a direct order.
As the door opened, the man moved his cane forward and stepped inside. He did not lean on the cane for assistance; it was merely an accessory to set himself apart from the commonfolk. In fact, his entire wardrobe was meticulously planned to distinguish him from those around him.
Gazing through the golden eyepiece he wore on his right eye, he politely removed the matching top hat from his head and scanned the room. A number of men of women of all races filled the room to the point of nearly spilling out of the doors. Many tapped their glasses together in merry toasts, celebrating the end of yet another day of work.
The Baron tore his eyes from the crowd and spotted the edge of a large counter to the side. He coughed and looked from Kelp to the bar. As the boy passed to clear him a path, the distinguished gentleman handed his top hat to him and sauntered through the gap in bodies.
This night had the male enlil tending the bar. While he didn’t recognize the well-dressed man, he did remember the kid, namely due to the facial expressions he displayed the last time he entered the establishment.
“What can I help you with? Or did you come here to get someone else’s brains blown out again, eh kid?” he asked.
Kelp shook visibly at the memory of Puol’s insides becoming his outsides.
The Baron chuckled. “Ah, I do hope that such unpleasantries can be avoided this evening. I merely wish to speak with your superior regarding a potential contract.”
“Uh huh...well no offense sir, but the envoy you sent last time tried to lowball my boss and ate a bullet for it. So before I go and get her, how much are we talking?” the bartender asked.
With a smile, The Baron withdrew a hearty sack of exa. Inside, five thousand exa clinked softly. He dropped the sack onto the counter without a shift in his expression.
“My previous envoy was a fool who attempted to cheat our organization. I am grateful to your mistress for addressing that problem. Unlike him, I come bearing ample resources for our meeting,” he said gesturing to the sack on the bar.
“You may count it if you wish.”
“Good to see the message was taken seriously. One moment please,” the enlil said, moving out from behind the counter. Leaving the pair, he moved through the tables, made easier by the patrons shifting their chairs to make a clear path. They knew what was about to happen. A rhythmic knock on the wall, and the solid mass slid over, the huntress stepping out.
“You’re certain about this one,” she asked.
“Yeah he brought a much bigger bag than the last guy,” he replied. Leading the way back to the Baron and the kid, Furi took a seat right next to the fancily dressed man, seemingly not impressed by his wealthy appearance. She gave a subtle wink to the kid. Meanwhile the enlil began to mix up a drink for the two adults.
“So just to be clear, no hard feelings about the scumbag you sent here first?” she said, pulling the strings of the bag and looking inside.
Kelp blushed and shied back.
“Of course not, my lady. As I informed your associate, you did me a great service by removing the man from my employment,” The Baron said, sizing the woman up.
Despite her unique appearance, Furi seemed like a capable mercenary. She had eliminated Puol without alerting him and prevented any injuries to innocent bystanders. A simple, clean kill. The Baron appreciated that.
“Now, then,” he said and straightened his vest. “Perhaps we can move this conversation to a more secluded area. The nature of this contract is delicate. I would be extremely displeased if the wrong individuals learned of the details.”
“I’m afraid I’ll have to deny that request. You see there are no wrong individuals here, just a bunch of everyday workers looking for a place to unwind. On the off-chance we did have someone listening to something they shouldn’t...,” she began, gesturing to the enlil. He reached under the counter, placing a jar in front of them. The huntress unscrewed the jar, reached inside, and pulled out what appeared to be an ear torn from a laicar. Inside the jar one could also see enlil and velen pieces, even a component from a demvir was inside.
“They would be dealt with,” Furi finished. She placed the appendage back inside, handing it back to the enlil.
“You have my word. Now can we get down to business?” she asked.
The Baron tried to mask his disgust at seeing the ear. Although he had conducted his fair share of killings, he did not take pleasure in torture or maiming. Swift kills were a gentlemanly courtesy that he offered to those who have wronged him.
“Indeed,” he said. Pushing the entire sack of exa toward the mercenary, he turned his body so that he faced her directly. “As I am sure you know, a certain individual by the name of Dio has been decimating members of my organization. Whether through incompetence of my associates or his own blind luck, he still lives today.
“Unfortunately, Dio is no longer a viable target for my organization. He has the protection of the Mistress of Serenity.”
The Baron reached for the drink placed before him and allowed his words to sink in. The beverage was strong with sweet undertones; the type of drink that intoxicates an individual before they realize how much they consumed.
“What I would like you to do is to kidnap a woman that Dio holds dearly,” he withdrew a handkerchief from his breast pocket and wiped his mustache dry. “She works as a barmaid at a tavern called Steamed and Hammered. Her name is Aeliana.”
“You’re gonna need to elaborate here. I presumed this deal was going to be for Dio. Now you’re in need to kidnap an ordinary woman and you need me for this why? Seems like you get any slaver group to do that job,” she said.
“Secondly, what is this Mistress of Serenity, and how does that have your balls in a vice?”
“My apologies, my lady,” The Baron said, removing the smile from his face. “I assumed the rationale behind hiring someone like yourself was obvious.
“Dio spends ample time around Aeliana. As such, you may very well need to put him down in order to kidnap her. That is the true goal of the contract. Eliminate Dio - if possible - while kidnapping the girl. If it appears that she was the target all along, then Dio’s death will not appear as suspicious.
“And, should you fail to eliminate him, he will most certainly come looking for her. By then, you will have brought her to us. Dio entering our territory will negate any protection from the Mistress and we can finish him without retribution from her.”
“My apologies, sir,” Furi replied, mimicking his words. “I assumed you’d want the job to go as smoothly as possible and thus provide information when it is asked for.”
This may or may not anger the man, but the huntress did not operate like any other gun-for-hire. She’d seen jobs go bad very easily simply because the client refused to divulge certain details.
“Now about this Aeliana,” she continued, as if the two hadn’t subtly insulted the other. “Race, age, defining features. Same for Dio.”
The Baron bit his tongue. He could not fault her for wanting more information; however, in his line of work, knowledge was power. Whether she knew it or not, she was about to become a pawn in a much larger game. And pawns did not need to know the king’s full intentions.
“Aeliana is quite a lovely laicar girl,” The Baron explained as he returned the smile to his face. “Long golden hair and brown eyes. She stands roughly my height and is younger than you appear. And, despite her petite stature, I believe she has reached her maidenhood.”
He paused to allow the mercenary time to process and record any details from the description before continuing.
“Gold hair, brown eyes. This Aeliana sounds like a fairy tale princess,” Furi remarked, pausing to take a sip of her drink.
“As for Dio, he is quite the opposite. He’s a mountainous man who makes even a tall woman like you seem short. Dark hair and intense blue eyes that seem to burn into your soul. If the stories are to be believed, he’s more beast than man.”
After hearing Dio’s description, she raised an eyebrow.
On the stool next to him, Kelp shook. The Baron did feel bad for bringing the boy to their previous encounter with Dio, but it was a necessary evil. Due to Furi’s prompting, Kelp had attempted to leave their organization in spite of knowing that membership was for life.
Clicking his tongue, The Baron slid the rest of his drink to the boy.
“Stories to be believed? Are you saying you haven’t met the guy? Now I’m curious as to what you did to piss him off,” she said. Then the huntress reached over, plucking the drink from in front of the kid before a stupid decision could be made.
“He doesn’t need to start at his age. I can only assume that some threats were made, because I’m sure I told him to leave your little group,” the huntress stated, looking the baron right in the eyes.
He smirked and met her gaze. This would hardly be Kelp’s first drink.
“I am here only here to negotiate a contract. If how I choose to run my organization bothers you-” The Baron reached for the sack of exa on the counter.
As soon as his hands were on the bag, an audible ‘click’ went off. The familiar sound of the hammer being pulled back on a gun.
“You already passed negotiations by not choosing to lowball me like your former employee. So before you make the decision to get up and leave, do keep in mind I know what you look like, what the kid looks like, who you’re after, and who he’s associated with. Like I said, if you want any brainless gun-for-hire, you’re in the wrong damn place. Make a move and we’ll see how this pans out,” she said.
The Baron paused his movement toward the bag. Opening his hand to show his surrender, he slowly eased back and released a low chuckle.
“I like you,” he said. “So, let me be abundantly clear. I do not tolerate loose ends. As you so clearly stated, you know many things that I would rather not get out. If you fail to capture the girl or even have a change of heart about the contract, I will come for your head.”
Leaning back, The Baron continued. “Now, you may consider me foolish for threatening you, but I am anything but the contrary. Yes, you may blow my head off here and now like Puol; however, consider the facts. Would someone like myself come to a meeting with a trigger happy mercenary like you - in your own establishment, no less - with only a trouser-wetting boy like Kelp?”
He shook his head.
“So logically, one of the following must be true: I am vastly more capable than you assume; not all of the people in this bar are completely loyal to you; or, my own men completely surround this place.
“Which is it?”
“Patrons, a moment of your time,” Furi said, standing up and facing the public. Her revolver was still aimed at the Baron’s head.
“My client here is under the impression that he can buy you out. That I don’t know every single one of your faces. So in case it wasn’t clear, if you ever turn on me, I will erase you and the rest of your family line. If we’re clear on that, go back and enjoy your drinks,” she finished, sitting back down.
“And now back to you. The last time someone tried to kill me, it was a squad of men with explosive and assault weaponry. They didn’t get the job done, as you can clearly see. If you’re willing to take that chance, then I’ll see you in the next life. You might have to wait a good long while for that meetup though.”
“Well, so long as you complete the task, we shall not have to worry about that,” The Baron said leaning back. He slowly reached for the drink that the woman had taken from Kelp and downed the rest. He still had his trump card, but he secretly hoped that he would not to have to play it against the mercenary.
“Now, if you shall be so kind as to holster your firearm, I would prefer we conclude this transaction promptly.”
“Good, you’re learning,” she replied, sitting back down, the ‘click’ signaling that the safety was back on.
“So laicar princess, and big guy with fire in his eyes. Find the girl, and bring her to you, assuming the big boy doesn’t play the hero. Kill him if I can, if not the girl becomes a lure. If and when that happens, where do I take her?” the huntress asked.
The Baron slipped his hand inside his coat and retrieved a folded piece of paper from his breast pocket. The edges were crinkled and worn, but the ink inside was as bold as the day it was drawn. Placing it on the counter, he slid it towards the mercenary.
“This is a map detailing the location where I want the woman brought. Once you’ve arrived, knock three times then pause. When you hear a return knock, do it four more times and we’ll know it is you.”
Furi moved the map closer with a finger, taking in the details. Once she was done, she folded it up, placing it within a chest pocket.
“I’ll start looking into this girl. Did you have a specific time limit for completing this? I imagine you don’t want Dio reappearing in your operations anytime soon,” she inquired.
The question was twofold, to find out how much time she had to work with, as well as prying to see if the man had anything worth protecting.
“I believe it goes without saying that the sooner this job is completed the better,” The Baron said rising from his seat and straightening his attire. “If you deliver her within three days, I will instruct my men to pay you an extra two thousand exa.
“Good luck.”
Feeling that their contract was finalized, he turned to Kelp and gestured to the crowd between them and the doorway. The crowd parted and The Baron retrieved his top hat from Kelp’s free hand.
“Thanks for not shooting him, I only just wiped the counter down a few a minutes ago,” the enlil said once the two had departed.
“Well he had the benefit of having some sense, unlike the first guy,” Furi replied.
“So the usual business then?” he asked.
“Yep. Let the street rats know. Him and the kid. The group they are, what they’re into, and if they have anything significant happening in the next three days.”
“Boss, forgive the curiousity but...,” he said, hesitant to go further without permission.
“But?” she said.
“Why do you always look into the people you’re supposed to be working for? I’m no hunter, but I assume most clients would prefer someone that just does the job without asking questions.”
“Fair question. It pays to be the smartest person in the room. When people underestimate me, seeing me as just a hired gun and nothing else, they’re making the biggest mistake they could. On another level, you’d be surprised how often clients try to kill me off once I’m done with the job. Unfortunately for them, it also means no longer have to be loyal to their cause. That’s why you don’t often see a repeat client around here. That enough to sate your curiosity?” she finished.
“Yeah...I’ll get right on that info gathering then,” he said, placing a fresh drink for his boss before leaving.
He’d already figured this out back when she first ‘interviewed’ him, but now the enlil was reaffirmed in that initial first impression. Furi was not someone you tried to fuck with.